Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would establish the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative to expand childcare availability, quality, and affordability in agricultural and rural communities. It would run for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 and give priority to projects using existing USDA rural loan and grant programs.
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- Families and children: Rural families could gain more access to quality early education and care for children not yet in kindergarten, and projects may target lower costs.
- Childcare providers: Providers could receive loans, grants, or technical and managerial assistance for acquiring, building, renovating, or improving facilities through programs like essential community facilities loans, rural business development grants, rural microentrepreneur assistance, and RISE grants.
- Rural counties: The initiative gives priority to farming-dependent counties and requires a balanced geographic distribution of benefits.
- Intermediaries and nonprofits: Awards may flow through childcare resource and referral organizations, staffed family child care networks, community development financial institutions, and nonprofits with childcare expertise.
- Oversight: USDA must conduct a comprehensive evaluation of projects within 2 years and send a report on outcomes to congressional agriculture committees within 3 years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Agriculture Department help for rural childcare
If enacted, the Agriculture Department would launch a rural childcare initiative for fiscal years 2026–2030. Projects that expand access, improve quality, or lower costs would get priority, especially in farming-dependent counties, and funds would be spread across regions. Existing rural loans and grants could be steered to build, fix, or support licensed childcare for kids in or before kindergarten. Awards could flow through nonprofits, childcare networks, or community lenders. USDA would evaluate results within 2 years and report to Congress within 3 years.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
KS • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
IN • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 3/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov